‘We can trust women to make the right decision’

THREE years ago, Zena and Troy Mason made the heartbreaking decision to end a much-wanted pregnancy.

Despite being labelled murderers and criminals the Logan couple bravely shared their story at a parliamentary committee last month in the hope it would lead to a greater understanding of why people have late-term abortions.

Mrs Mason said she cried "happy tears" after the Queensland Parliament voted 50-41 in favour of the Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2018 yesterday.

The controversial decision sparked an outpouring of emotions from supporters and opponents of the changes but Mrs Mason rejected the idea the change would lead to mothers having abortions on a whim.

"A lot of people in the media think that someone is going to wake up and decide they don't want a baby and will have an abortion," she said.

"We can trust women to make a decision that will be right for them and their families. No one would willingly go through what we went through."

Mrs Mason was five months pregnant with her husband when doctors revealed their daughter had spinobifida and would live in a vegetative state, unable to walk or talk.

Zena Mason. Picture: John Gass

The words "she is not compatible with life" still send shivers down Mrs Mason's spine.

"Never in my life would I have ever thought I would need an abortion in fact it never crossed our minds," she said.

After making the decision to abort their daughter, who the couple named Chloe, Mrs Mason said she was told it was a criminal act.

She said their journey only got harder as the couple grappled with how to tell people about their decision.

"We had to hide under what we went through with very little support," she said.

"We had to gain support from groups that aren't even in Australia. We (were) torn apart from keyboard warriors and most people who have only received good news through their pregnancy or not even been pregnant at all."

Yesterday in parliament, not everybody supported the reform.

Labor Member for Logan Linus Power abstained from the vote and Member for Bundamba Jo-Ann Miller voted against the Bill.

Three Labor MPs supported LNP Member for Caloundra Mark McArdle's move to make abortions legal up to 16 weeks gestation, instead of the 22 weeks.

But the amendments were defeated.

Since the Bill was passed, it has been condemned by some in the community including the Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge.

Health Minister Steven Miles said termination was a health matter and the new laws would protect health workers doing their job.

"Nobody should have to wonder every day if they are breaking the law, nobody should be harassed going to work, least of all our hardworking doctors and nurses who are looking after Queenslanders," he said.